Latest coronavirus cases for Preston and South Ribble have been confirmed on the first day of Covid-19 vaccinations in the UK.

Preston recorded 38 new cases during Tuesday (8 December).

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South Ribble saw 24 new coronavirus cases for the same day.

Wyre was at 20 cases, Ribble Valley had 19 and Fylde just nine new Covid-19 cases.

Coronavirus infection rates for Preston are at 197 cases per 100,000 people, for the seven days to December 4, down from 199.1 for the seven days to November 27.

South Ribble’s infection rate is now 174.2, down from 216.6 for the same date periods as Preston.

See the latest coronavirus cases and information near you

England’s average is 152.3 cases per 100,000 people and Fylde, Wyre and Ribble Valley are all below this number for their infection rates.

Preston and Lancashire remain in tier-3 restrictions, after finishing the second national lockdown on Wednesday 2, and a decision is due by Wednesday 16 December on whether the government will change any of the tier decisions.

Read more: Map shows the latest coronavirus cases in each area of Preston and South Ribble

A historic day as Covid vaccine given

The first person in the world received a coronavirus vaccine, outside of medical trials, with Margaret Keenan being vaccinated in Coventry.

The 91-year-old is the first person to receive the Pfizer Covid vaccine and shortly after her jab the first person in Preston was vaccinated.

Doreen McKeown, 81, who is a volunteer at Royal Preston Hospital received her jab at 7.20am.

The government has confirmed the priority list for who gets the vaccine first, as the hospital hubs begin to work through the 400,000 Pfizer vaccines delivered.

• Residents in care homes for older adults and their carers
• 80-year-olds and over and frontline health and social care workers
• 75-year-olds and over
• 70-year-olds and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
• 65-year-olds and over
• 16 to 64-year-olds with serious underlying health conditions
• 60-year-olds and over
• 55-year-olds and over
• 50-year-olds and over

Care home residents will be due to get the vaccine from next week – once logistical issues about how to transport the vaccine at its -70 temperatures required to ensure its effectiveness.

Those receiving their first jab must go back for a second vaccination after 21 days and full immunity begins from the seven days after the second dose.

A second vaccine, the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, is making good progress according to The Lancet.

Full results of trials from 20,000 people were published and suggest it offers good protection.

Read more: How Preston and South Ribble’s coronavirus infection rates changed during November

The Oxford vaccine has a 90 per cent protection rate in the latest study.

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The advantage of the Oxford vaccine is it is cheaper per dose and can be stored at a regular fridge temperature.

The UK has 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine on pre-order.

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines